Equatorial Guinea consul and wife survives gunshot in Nigeria

The Consul-General of Equatorial Guinea in Nigeria, Juan Mbomio, and his wife, Maria were lucky to have escaped being killed by a gang of armed robbers on Monday around the designated area of Rivers and Akwa Ibom states. The pair, presently receiving treatment at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, sustained body injuries from the gunshots when they were travelling on their Toyota Prado Jeep from Port Harcout to Calabar.

A source close to the family said that the consular and an attaché identified as a police escort were also in the vehicle but no information was given if they also sustained any injury.

‘The incident happened between 7.45pm and 8pm on Monday, October 10, at the area between Rivers and Akwa Ibom states. The robbers started shooting as soon as they sighted the Jeep. The vehicle was riddled with bullets. The bullets touched the consul-general and his wife. He was injured in the neck and chest, while the wife was injured in the left knee.

The robbers forced the vehicle to stop and dispossessed the couple of their belongings, including money and phones. The robbers later fled and left the consul-general, his wife and others stranded because the tyres of the vehicle were punctured.

The consul-general and those with him managed to find their way to Calabar that night. They got to Calabar at about 12 midnight and immediately went to a hospital.’